Dear Granddaughter, Here it is the night of July 4th, 2019, and outside my windows there are fireworks and explosions of my neighbors celebrating Independence Day. Unlike most years, I’m alone this 4th of July. Usually we have a gathering and all the family are here. There is food and fireworks and fun — the […]
Today, the 9th of June, I received an email from FamilySearch.org reminding me that my 7th great grandfather, Jeremiah Drake I, would be celebrating his 312th birthday. It is not often that I cannot immediately make the connection between myself and a name on our tree. But for the life of me I couldn’t remember […]
I always try to spend a little time with my grandfather, Carl Begich, each Memorial Day. He is, to my knowledge, the only of our family to have given his life in the service of our country. Memorial Day is to honor those who paid the ultimate price. Remembering Grandpa Carl by searching anew anything […]
There are two seasons of the year where I see folks focusing on their family history: right around Memorial Day, when we remember those who have passed – and during the month of October, which is National Family History Month. As a Family History Consultant, it is around these times that I frequently hear two […]
If you are of a certain age or just a fan of popular American music then you likely have heard the name Del Shannon. This was Shannon’s first big hit in 1961: Everyone knows the song. It was, after all, a #1 Billboard hit. But did you know the Del Shannon is actually a Westover? […]